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Further Maths - do you need it?

Hello guys,

I'm starting my A-levels next year and I am undecided about whether taking up Further Maths is really worth it. I plan to do Maths or Economics at University, preferably a Russell Group one. I know Further Maths is usually taken to appeal to places like Oxbridge and ICL, however now I'm left feeling skeptical due to my lack of knowledge of the importance of Further Maths.

Please share your views, I need some advice! Thanks

Reply 1

Good bloke

Original post by GeorgeGreyman

Many universities state that they like students to have taken FM, when applying for maths and economics. Others will want to know why you didn't take it if your school offered it. Taking it can only be an advantage for those subjects, and, if nothing else, demonstrates that you are enthusiastic about maths. You should take it if you can.

Reply 2

SophieBarlow87

Also, if you want to study maths at uni, you will probably really enjoy further maths

Reply 3

Skitee

Why would you not do FM? If you are planning (or are considering) doing Maths (Or anything science, finance, or engineering-related) at university, you should definitely do Further Maths. Most of the best universities will reject you straight away if you chose not to do further Maths - if your school didn't offer it then you had no choice, but if your school do offer it they expect you to do it.

Also, just from my own context: not one person out of the 20 or so people who did Further Maths in my college regretted it; however, there were many who told me that they "wished they had done it" especially when it came to university application time and they were applying for science-related degrees.

Further Maths is not taken to appeal to Oxbridge and ICL: it is taken because if you don't study it but end up doing a science-based degree, you have a lot of catching up to do once you get to university!

The way I see it: Maths is the subject for those who want to continue doing Maths at A level because it's a good A level but don't intend on going into a Maths-based degree/career. Further Maths is for those who want to do a career in STEM or Finance or anything like that, they should do FM - after all, if you want to do a STEM degree, you will be doing Maths far more difficult than Further Maths A level: you may as well do the Maths earlier do get you ahead of the game!

The only exception is Medicine: since Medicine degrees require you to be well-rounded, they don't like people doing Maths and Further Maths since the two A levels are too similar.

Reply 4

JPencil

Posted from TSR Mobile

TAKE IT!! I wish someone told me I should have. Look at my thread about Further Maths and the situation I'm in

Reply 5

ethanstoddart

Doooo it, I took it and I love it :smile:

not as hard as taking a different 4th subject as well.

Reply 6

fruitpastilles

Basically for maths you do 6 maths modules, for further maths you do an additional 6 modules which you wouldn't have done previously. Most colleges do it so that in addition to your core and further pure modules you do mechanics, statistics and decision at as, and then carry on two of those to a2.

Really what it means is that you have the broadest base in maths that you could ask for, at it will really help you at uni to do maths because it means that you'll understand more of it than if you only did say maths with mechanics

Reply 7

H0PEL3SS

Original post by GeorgeGreyman

I was in the same boat when I started AS levels. I was undecided as to take FM or not, but I did in the end (over English) due to the fact that it's just a more desirable subject for both of these courses.
If you want to do Maths at uni - take it.
If you want to do Economics at uni- still take it.

Applying for the top unis for either of these courses without FM would be a mistake.
For Maths, Oxbridge, ICL, Warwick and Bath all like or prefer FM to other subjects (Bath says they would give a lower offer to those doing FM).
For Economics, Oxbridge, LSE,UCL and Warwick all like FM, though none of them state it explicitly, they do like it, considering the mathematical content of the course.